Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Course Book
Department of English
East West University
Compiled by-
Zohur Ahmed
Assistant Professor
Department of English
East West University
Kaniz Fatema
Senior Lecturer
Department of English
East West University
Table of Contents
1st Mid Term Examination 4
Introduction and Greetings 4
How to Introduce Yourself in English | Self Introduction 4
Self Introduction: Hobbies 7
Describing People, Places and Things 10
How to Describe a Person (Using descriptive words) 10
Adjectives that Describe Places 15
Describing Things 17
Expressing likes and dislikes 21
Daily Routines 23
Expressions 26
Asking and Giving Directions 27
Final Examination 67
Telephone Conversation 67
Role Play 71
Compare-Contrast 74
Interview 77
Book/Film Review 81
Debating and Arguing 87
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Hello everyone! This is Dave. I am highly passionate about writing blogs and I am
happy to announce, this year I have published my first book during the ‘Ekushey Boi
Mela’. You are more than welcome to visit stall 527 and have a conversation with me
and have a cup of coffee if the conversation gets extended.
The students shall receive participate in the aforementioned TLA after learning on how
to confidently give self introduction in English and how to introduce yourself in an email,
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What do you say when you meet someone new? Introduce yourself of course!
Introducing yourself is much more than saying your name. You need to tell some more
information about you in English. Introducing yourself to strangers can be tricky
because what you say depends on the context, situation (introduce yourself in a job
interview, introduce yourself in an email or give self introduction in English class).
In this lesson, you will learn how to confidently introduce yourself in English.
▪ I’m in … grade.
▪ I’m in my first/ second/ third/ final year.
▪ I am a freshman.
▪ I graduated from …/ My previous school was …
Question: What’s your favorite subject?
Answers:
▪ My favorite subject is …
▪ I am good at … (subjects)
Subjects: Maths, English, Physics, Physical Education, Science, Music, …
Self Introduction: Marital status
Questions: What is your marital status?
Are you married?
Do you have a boyfriend/ girlfriend?
Answers:
▪ I’m married/ single/ engaged/ divorced.
▪ I’m not seeing/ dating anyone.
▪ I’m not ready for a serious relationship.
▪ I’m going out with a … (someone)
▪ I’m in a relationship./ I’m in an open relationship.
▪ It’s complicated.
▪ I have a boyfriend/ girlfriend/ lover/ …
▪ I’m in love with … (someone)
▪ I’m going through a divorce.
▪ I have a husband/ wife.
▪ I’m a happily married man/ woman.
▪ I have a happy/ unhappy marriage.
▪ My wife/ husband and I, we’re separated.
▪ I am available.
▪ I haven’t found what I’m looking for.
▪ I’m ready for a rebound relationship.
▪ I’m a widow/ widower.
▪ I’m still looking for the one.
▪ I (don’t) have … (number) children.
Introduce Yourself: Others
▪ I’ve got a … (pet)
▪ I am a … person/ I’m … (character & personality)
▪ My best quality is … (character & personality)
▪ My best friend’s name is …
▪ I (don’t) have … (number) international friends.
▪ My dream is …
Additional resources:
Video on what to say when interviewers tell you to introduce yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgjkjsqAzvo&ab_channel=EnglishwithLucy
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(Source: https://writeshop.com/how-to-describe-a-person-descriptive-words/)
1. Warm-Up activity: ‘Sherolock in the Class’ - The teacher may invite a few
students to come in front of the class and describe anyone or any item from the
classroom within sixty seconds. After the student is done with the description,
other students will try to figure out the item or person based upon the information
they received. The class may have three guesses. If the item or person is not
detected, the student who gave the information will get a point.
2. Exit Ticket: The students could be asked to make pairs. Then they will share
their personality traits that might not be discovered in one or two conversations.
This should not take any more than 1.5 minutes each individual. After the time is
over, the students will speak one after another and try to introduce their partner
using the descriptive language and tools they learned in the class.
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This activity can be performed after the students have been provided knowledge
of the following:
Can your high schoolers describe a person using vivid vocabulary like the above
examples? Without good observation skills or an arsenal of strong words, this can be a
challenging task!
Can they describe their subject in detail without turning it into a narrative or
story? When I was teaching writing classes, this was a hard concept for my students to
grasp. Even with careful guidelines, many still ended up focusing on what the person
was doing instead of how they looked.
1. Discuss the many ways to describe a person before letting students loose to
brainstorm; OR
2. Once the rough draft has been written and edited, give this list of ideas to
stimulate creativity and to help them write a meatier revision.
Either way, whether you work on better brainstorming or focus on more polished
revisions, improved description will result.
Reference photos:
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It’s good to let your kids struggle with the initial writing process. As they wrestle with
ideas and words, it will remind them of the importance of thorough and effective
brainstorming. The following word lists will help them improve their descriptive
paragraphs as they think of more concrete ways to describe a person’s appearance.
TIP: Students shouldn’t be expected include every descriptive element listed below.
Rather, a few well-chosen details will go a long way toward bringing their subject to life.
Face Shape
● Square
● Oval
● Round
● Triangular
● Heart-shaped
● Thin
● Wide
● Chiseled
Complexion is the natural appearance and color of the skin, especially of the face. For
example, “Mary has a soft, creamy complexion.”
● Wrinkled: covered with lines or loose folds of skin; often associated with age
● Freckled: sprinkled or covered with light brown spots
● Ruddy: skin that has a reddish tint; may have the appearance of sunburn
● Sallow: skin that has a yellowish tint; may be associated with illness
● Tanned: skin with a warm, golden-brown tint
● Rosy or fresh-faced: pink-cheeked, fair complexion that glows with a hint
of pink
● Other skin-related adjectives: pale, fair, spotless, silky, smooth, creamy, dewy,
baby-soft, peaches-and-cream, glowing, paper-thin or translucent (as with a very
old person), sunburned, peeling, rough, callused, weathered, weatherbeaten,
craggy, leathery, mottled, dry, brown, dark
Eyes
TIP: Pay attention to the eyes, as they often reveal much about a person.
● Lip shape and size: thin, full, pouting, rosebud (baby’s lips, often), pursed
(puckered up, as when concentrating)
● Mouth expressions: laugh, smile, beam, grin, frown, grimace, scowl, sneer,
curl, pout
● Adjectives describing the mouth or mouth expressions: toothy, toothless,
gap-toothed, kind, sweet, dimpled, relaxed, firm, serious, cruel, snarling
Hair
Facial Hair
Body
● Build: small, slim, slight, thin, lean, willowy, skinny, angular, bony, fine-boned,
chunky, chubby, large, portly, plump, round, stout, pudgy, full-figured, ample,
broad-shouldered, burly, solid, muscular
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● Posture: stand, sit, slouch, flop, lean, recline, rest, stretch, sprawl, curl up, roost,
squirm, arch, slump, stoop, bend, hunch, scoot, walk, run, race, jog
Clothing
● Fabric: denim, twill, wool, cashmere, cotton, linen, seersucker, gingham, lace,
chiffon, tulle, velvet, velveteen, fleece, flannel, tweed, polyester, jersey, corduroy,
spandex, leather
● Bottoms: jeans, skinny jeans, cargo pants, yoga pants, pleated pants, slacks,
trousers, overalls, sweatpants, crop pants, capris, skirt, shorts, board shorts,
bermuda shorts
● Tops: sport shirt, dress shirt, polo shirt, button-down shirt, chambray shirt, tank
top, blouse, tunic, long-sleeve, short-sleeve, sleeveless, collared, T-shirt, V-neck,
scoop-neck, boat-neck, turtleneck, sweatshirt, hoodie, pullover, sweater,
cardigan, sweater set
● Other clothing: dress, gown, frock, pinafore, uniform, coveralls, costume,
pajamas, bathrobe, robe, vest, jacket, blazer, coat, apron
● Footwear: socks, stockings, shoes, slippers, sandals, flip-flops, mules, loafers,
heels, pumps, boots, ankle boots, riding boots, slouch boots, athletic shoes,
sneakers, tennis shoes, gym shoes, runners, trainers, Chucks
● Accessories: mittens, gloves, hat, cap, head wrap, bandana, scarf, muffler,
necklace, choker, bracelet, ring, earrings, cuffs, cufflinks, purse, clutch, bag, tote,
sunglasses, eyeglasses, glasses
● Adjectives (appearance): stylish, natty, smart, chic, classy, elegant, polished,
draped, flowing, sheer, casual, relaxed, carefree, starched, crisp, sharp, dressy,
lacy, shiny, shimmering, sparkling, glittery, sloppy, torn, ripped, tattered,
disheveled, slovenly, tacky, unkempt, faded, scratchy, worn, frayed, nubby,
rough, smooth, pliable, warm, soft, quilted, knit
● Adjectives (patterns): argyle, striped, solid, plaid, checked, gingham, ikat,
paisley, dotted, polka-dotted, floral, houndstooth, herringbone, chevron,
geometric
There are so many ways to describe people! What other words would you include?
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Example sentence: Barcelona is a fantastic city! It's a must to visit if you go to northern
Spain.
fascinating - very interesting. Words with similar meanings: captivating, intriguing.
Example sentence: Tunis is a fascinating place to visit, with a wonderfully rich culture
and history.
huge - very big. Words with similar meanings: big, enormous, giant, large, sprawling,
vast.
Example sentence: Istanbul is a huge city, with over thirteen million inhabitants.
lively - somewhere with lots of things going on. Words with similar meanings: vibrant
Example sentence: Newcastle is a lively city, with lots of things to do and see.
inexpensive - not costing very much. Words with similar meanings: cheap.
Example sentence: Egypt, Mexico and Thailand are inexpensive travel destinations.
popular - liked by a lot of people.
Example sentence: York is a historic British town which is very popular with tourists.
picturesque - charming or interesting in a unique or unusual way.
Words with similar meanings: quaint, charming.
Example sentence: Looe and Polperro are picturesque English seaside towns.
polluted - dirty, contaminated.
Example sentence: Bilbao's formerly polluted river has been cleaned up and
transformed.
touristy - visited by lots of tourists.
Words and expressions with similar meanings: 'tourist trap', touristic (rarely used by
native speakers).
Example sentence: Chester can be a bit touristy and crowded during summer.
Source:
https://www.esolcourses.com/content/exercises/grammar/adjectives/places/words-for-
describing-places.html
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Describing Things
Source: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/words-
used-to-describe-attractive-people-or-things
Additional Resource:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSoRzTtwgP4&ab_channel=TED-Ed
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After the activity, the students can be taught about the following:
To talk about your likes and dislikes, you can use these expressions.
Expressing likes:
● I like…
● I love...
● I adore…
● I ‘m crazy about…
● I’m mad about…
● I enjoy…
● I’m keen on…
Expressing dislikes:
● I don’t like…
● I dislike...
● I hate…
● I abhor…
● I can’t bear...
● I can’t stand…
● I detest...
● I loathe...
1. When these expressions are followed by a verb, the latter is put in the -ing form.
Examples:
I like
I detest VERB+ING
I don't mind
2. Note that" very much" & " a lot" always come after the things you like.
Examples:
"I like basketball very much/a lot. NOT" I like very much/a lot basketball."
Dialogue:
Steve is at home. His girlfriend comes in...Notice how they express their likes and
dislikes
Daily Routines
Source: https://www.vocabulary.cl/Lists/Daily_Routines.htm
English Vocabulary
Daily Activities at Home
What are some of the daily activities that you do at home?
I wake up at 7am every morning.
I press the snooze button five times every morning before I turn off the alarm and
get up.
I have a cup of coffee and make breakfast. I usually read the newspaper while I
have breakfast. My children like to have a shower after they have breakfast but I like
to have a shower before I get dressed.
My wife brushes her long hair, and I have short hair so I comb my hair. How do you
do your hair in the morning?
It is important to brush your teeth, and some women like to put make-up on.
After I have finished work, I go home to cook dinner. In my house I usually make
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Weekly Activities
What are some weekly activities that you do?
I go grocery shopping once a week at the local supermarket.
My family does the housework together every Saturday morning.
I usually do the washing on Sunday morning and when the machine is finished I hang
the clothes out to dry.
On Sunday morning we go to church, and if there is lots of noise coming from next
door, sometimes we fight with the neighbour.
On Saturday night my parents stay at home and I go out with friends.
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Even my friends that live at home call their parents each week.
Every evening, I water the garden.
I usually pay someone to wash the car, but my partner says I should do it, so
sometimes I argue with my partner about that.
If we are angry at the neighbour, we seek vengeance by annoying his dogs.
I work in an important office, so I have to shine my shoes each day.
Sometimes we hire a movie, because we don't like to illegally download music and
films. I make sure that I synchronise my iPod so I always have new music on it.
To get our shopping, we go to the mall in the car.
Last week I forgot to recharge my travel card, and I had to argue with a bus driver. I
couldn't call the office because I forgot to recharge my cellphone!
Expressions
Make Request
1. Suppose you want to open a bank account. So, request your friend to tell you in
details how to open a bank account.
2. You want to arrange a picnic with your classmates. Therefore, request your teacher
to help you in planning.
Offer
3. You have recently finished reading a story book. Offer your friend to exchange your
one with his/her book.
4. Ask your friends to initiate a start-up business with you.
Invitation
5. Invite your cousins to visit your university campus.
6. Invite the Vice Chancellor of East West University to visit your start-up business
project and to provide his feedback.
Excuses
7. Suppose you went to visit your hometown last week and failed to attend an important
meeting of Cultural Club at East West University. Tell the President of cultural club what
problems you faced at home.
Apology
8. Suppose you had a verbal fight with a senior student while you were working together
on a project. However, you have one day left to submit the assignment. How will you
negotiate the situation?
9. Suppose using phone inside classroom is strictly prohibited during class time.
Unfortunately, the instructor caught you using phone while you were chatting with your
online friend. Express your sincere apology to get your phone back.
Complaint
10. A junior student of your department showed impolite and improper attitude when
he/she was talking to you about an academic issue. Describe the problem to one of
your teachers and ask for a solution.
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Influencer: The teacher will from three groups where one student from each group will
be blinded using a scarf or anything else that could achieve the effect. The student will
be guided by his/her team to reach a pen that is carefully hidden by the instructor at
some corner of the room. Even though the team can see, the seeker cannot. He/she will
be following the instructions of the team to reach there. A timer can be used to
determine which group will collect the pen in the least amount of time. After a winner
has been decided, the facilitator can help students identify the instructions such as ‘go
straight’ or questions such as ‘how long would it take for me to get there?’. Other than
learning a bit of empathy for the individuals with visual impairments, the students should
focus on identifying the word clusters used to ask and give instruction in their everyday
lives.
26
Give these two maps to two different students and instruct them to ask and give
direction of different places mentioned in the map. They should not see each other’s
map during the conversation.
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1.
28
29
Giving Direction: 2
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IPA Symbols
Human Articulators:
Link: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/essentialsoflinguistics/chapter/2-5-ipa-
symbols-and-speech-sounds/
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1. walk, work
These two words are very often confused. Both use long vowels:
walk /wɔ:k/ – this uses the long vowel in ‘for’ and the ‘l’ is silent
work /wɜ:k/ – looks like it should rhyme with ‘for’, but the ‘w’ changes the vowel sound
to /ɜ:/
I walk to work every day.
2. bought, boat
3. match, much
match /mætʃ/ – this uses the short vowel in ‘cat’ – make sure you spread the lips and
keep the tongue at the front of the mouth.
much /mʌtʃ/ – this uses the short vowel in ‘cut’ – make sure you relax the lips and
tongue for this sound.
4. wonder, wander
These are very similar and the main thing to remember is that they are both pronounced
in the way that you do not expect:
wonder /ˈwʌndə/ – ‘won’ looks like it should rhyme with ‘on’ but in fact it rhymes
with
‘sun’
wander /ˈwɒndə/ – ‘wan’ looks like it should rhyme with ‘ban’ but in fact it rhymes
with
‘on’
5. of, off
These very small but extremely useful words differ in very subtle ways:
A very tricky, contradictory little group here! Sadly there is not much to do but memorise
these ones:
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7. leave, leaf
Sometimes students use the voiceless sound at the ends of words when they should
really use the voiced sound. This can change the meaning of the word quite drastically!
Some examples include:
Although there is only one spelling pattern being used here, there are two different
pronunciations and multiple meanings! The two pronunciations are /əʊ/ to rhyme with
‘oh’ and /aʊ/ to rhyme with ‘ow’.
9. bear, beer
hair /heə/
here, hear /hɪə/
tear (tear a piece of paper) /teə/
tear (water from your eyes when you cry) /tɪə/
rare /reə/
rear /rɪə/
tough /tʌf/
though /ðəʊ/
through /θru:/
thorough /ˈθʌrə/
The above words all end in ‘ough’ but below is a very similar one ending in ‘ought’:
thought /θɔ:t/
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Source: https://www.clarkandmiller.com/positive-personality-adjectives/
3. affectionate
having or displaying warmth or affection
If you like to snuggle up next to someone, then you are affectionate.
4. ambitious
having a strong desire for success or achievement
Ambitious people try to get ahead in life--they look for opportunities to better their
life. For the most part, this has a positive feeling, but in some people, ambition is
too strong and they hurt people along the way to get what they want.
5. amiable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
Amiable people are affable. They are kind, warm and friendly.
6. compassionate
showing or having sympathy for another's suffering
Someone who is compassionate feels a strong sense of sadness when they see
others who are suffering. A compassionate person always tries to do something
to help ease the suffering. You would find a compassionate person helping out in
a homeless shelter.
7. considerate
showing concern for the rights and feelings of others
A considerate person looks out for other people. They often allow someone else
to have the last piece of pie or they hold the door open for another person.
8. courageous
able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
A courageous person is brave. They are the type of person to run into a burning
building. They are also likely to get involved to stop a bullying situation.
9. courteous
characterized by politeness and gracious good manners
Courteous people say, "Please," "Thank you" and "No, thanks." Their manners
are present because they are nice toward other people.
10. diligent
characterized by care and perseverance in carrying out tasks
Diligent people work hard until a job is done. They take great care in doing things
right. They don't give up.
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11. empathetic
showing ready comprehension of others' states
Someone who is empathetic is able to understand people better because they
see things from the other person's perspective.
A lot of teaching is intuitive--the best teachers just know how to present things so
that kids understand. (Related words: intuition and intuitively).
18. inventive
marked by independence and creativity in thought or action
Since the band's drummer did not show up for the concert, they got inventive--
they asked members of the audience to come up and clap and play tambourines.
Inventive people are able to find creative, ingenious solutions to problems. They
might be able to repair a car with a paper clip.
Rational people are practical. They make rational decisions based on their logical
reasoning about a situation. They don't base decisions on emotions.
24. reliable
worthy of trust
Someone who is reliable is trust worthy and dependable. You can "count on" a
reliable person.
25. resourceful
adroit or imaginative
A resourceful person uses creativity and the things around them to tackle a
problem. They see solutions (sometimes obvious ones) that others don't see.
26. sensible
able to feel or perceive
A sensible person is a clear thinking, reasonable person.
27. sincere
open and genuine; not deceitful
A sincere person is honest in their feelings toward others. (Antonym: insincerely).
28. sympathetic
expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings
You are sympathetic when you feel sorry for someone else. You send a
sympathy card when a friend loses a loved one because you want her to know
that you feel sorry for her loss.
To be a good worker, you have to be good at managing change. When things change,
Alexa can change with them:
Versatile — She can do different things depending on the situation.
Intuitive — She can understand what’s happening using her feelings (not just facts).
Adaptable — She can change depending on the situation.
Reason why Alexa is a good worker #4
Finally, Alexa is someone who you can trust:
Dependable — If she says she will do something, she will do it.
Reliable — The same as “dependable”
Trustworthy — You can trust her to be honest and sincere.
Loyal — She will always be on your side.
So that’s Alexa. A great worker but not necessarily great fun.
That’s why we need to have Freya in our lives!
Positive Personality Adjectives #3
Freya — the fun lady!
We all need a Freya in our lives. She’s the friend who makes us happy and who we can
have fun with. She’s the friend who puts a smile on our faces and helps us kill the stress
from our working day.
Here’s Freya at a party. Like Nik, she’s very popular. But for slightly different reasons:
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Why will Delia succeed? There are two main reasons for this:
Reason why Delia is a good leader #1
She has so much power in her. She’s an unstoppable force!
Ambitious — She has very high targets for herself in life.
Determined — She doesn’t quit, even when things get hard.
Passionate — She believes in her work and her success on an emotional level.
Persistent — She never gives up!
Decisive — She can make a decision quickly and confidently.
Reason why Delia is a good leader #2
She’s also not afraid of anything. Or anyone!
Courageous — She’s brave.
Fearless — She has no fear.
Basically, she’s like a superhero!
Select a place from the pictures below and plan to go there in next vacation with
your friends.
Nafakhum, Bandarban
It has been seen as a trend for some years now that Bangladeshi graduates almost
religiously go for the prospect of leaving their homeland to complete their next level of
education, and eventually settle into the countries of their choice.
Education specialists call this development by its fancy name ‘Brain Drain’. The term is
usually derogatory in a sense. But in truth, most of the graduates look for opportunities
to go abroad from the year they get themselves admitted. Most of the experts believe
that some migratory push factors are the reason for this trend.
If we want to explain what migratory push factors are, we have to explain what factors
play a role in the migration. The factors are mainly economic, social, and physical in
nature, and they can usually be categorized into push and pull factors.
Push factors are those related with the area of origin, while pull factors are those that
are related with the area of destination.
It would be unwise to disregard the effect of pull factors. As overseas countries like the
USA, Canada and Germany offer better service, more wealth and higher employment
opportunities, ambitious candidates often choose to emigrate there. It’s a good example
of migratory pull factors in play. But in recent times, push factors have begun to emerge.
It’s been observed that young people, who were undecided or even reluctant about
leaving their home country, are now thinking about migrating. When questioned, almost
all of them list the ever-growing problems of the major metropolitan areas, especially of
the capital, Dhaka.
Sorowar, age 22, is a third year graduate student of North South University, a reputable
University in Dhaka. He lives in Dhanmondi, while his university is situated at
Bashundhara. Because of the infamous traffic jam in Dhaka city, it takes him almost one
and a half hours every morning to go to his university from his home. And it takes
another two hours to return in rush hours. In weekends, the traffic jam is a lot less acute
and it takes him only thirty minutes to reach his university. He admits that for the sake of
attending classes, wasting nearly three hours every day on the road sometimes proves
to be intolerable. He has made up his mind to emigrate and he is already prepping for
his IELTS exams.
It’s been said that migration usually happens as a result of a mishmash of push and pull
factors. If the authorities are sincere enough to deal with the push factors, then the
emigration rate can be radically reduced.
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Telling Story
Source: englishforeveryone.org
“Which Way?”
This weekend, I went on my first camping trip. I went with my dad and my
older brother, Sam. We left on Friday morning and drove for four hours until we
reached the mountains. I slept for most of the ride, and Sam woke me up when
we reached the park.
“Here we are!” he cheered. I opened my eyes and looked at the forest
that surrounded the parking lot. My dad unloaded our backpacks from the trunk
and we set off on the trail. We hiked for about three miles and I became very hot
and tired. We decided to stop and set up camp for the night. Sam found a big flat
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spot in a grassy area away from the trail. My dad told Sam and me to catch
some fish for dinner from the nearby pond while he pitched our tent.
Sam had a special fishing pole that folded into a small size so he could
carry it in his backpack. He caught three trout in the pond and I caught two.
There were a lot of mosquitoes by the water so we didn’t stay at the pond for too
long. By the time we returned to our campsite, the sun was beginning to set. My
dad was relaxing in the tent, reading a book. We showed him the fish that we
caught and he told us that he was very proud of us.
“Can you two gather some wood for the campfire so we can cook the
fish?” he asked us. “Sure!” I answered.
“Don’t forget your flashlights!” my dad warned. We grabbed our flashlights
from our backpacks and walked towards the trail.
“Which way should we go?” I asked Sam. The trail led in two different
directions. We were excited so we just started running down the trail. After a little
while, we gathered as much wood as we could hold. It was time to go back to the
camp site. It was getting dark and I didn’t want to get lost in the middle of the
woods!
Sam pointed to the west. “We can either go back the way that we came
from, or we can go the other way. What do you think?”
Source: englishforeveryone.org
“The Troublemaker”
Allison had a bad night on Saturday. She went to the Smith’s house to
babysit their son, Jake, and daughter, Lisa. Jake is four years old. He gets into a lot
of trouble. He started the night by pouring his glass of milk all over the floor during
dinner.
“Clean that up,” Allison ordered.
“You can’t tell me what to do,” Jake responded. He ran away from
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the dinner table. “I’m bored. I want to play a game,” Lisa whined.
“Jake, if you clean up your mess we can play a game,” Allison said.
“Okay,” Jake said. Allison gave him a handful of paper towels and he used
them to clean up the milk. “I want to play hide-and-seek,” he said.
“Okay, I will be the seeker first,” Allison said. “You two have thirty seconds to
hide!” Allison covered her eyes with her hands and counted slowly from one to
thirty.
“Ready or not, here I come!” she called. Allison walked downstairs and
peeked into the kitchen closet. Nobody was inside. She checked under the
couches in the living room. She looked in the garage. Allison decided that nobody
was hiding downstairs, so she walked upstairs and continued her search. She
opened the door to Lisa’s bedroom and found her hiding under the bed.
“I found you!” she squealed. “Okay, now help me find Jake,” she told Lisa.
Allison and Lisa searched all over the house. They could not find Jake.
“It has been twenty minutes and he is nowhere in sight,” Allison thought. “I
wonder where he is.”
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Introduction to Presentation
Introduction
Welcoming the audience
Good morning / afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Hello / Hi everyone.
First of all, let me thank you all for coming here today. It’s a pleasure to welcome you
today.
I’m happy / delighted that so many of you could make it today.
It’s good to see you all here.
Introducing yourself
Let me introduce myself. I’m Ann Brown from …
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is … Let me just start by
introducing myself. My name is …
charge of …
Structuring
I’ve divided my presentation into three (main) parts. In my presentation I’ll focus on
three major issues.
Sequencing
Point one deals with … , point two … , and point three … First, I’ll be looking at … ,
second … , and third …
I’ll begin / start off by … . Then I’ll move on to … Then / Next / After that …
I’ll end with …
Timing
My presentation will take about 30 minutes.
It will take about 20 minutes to cover these issues. This won’t take more than …
Handouts
Does everybody have a handout / brochure / copy of the report? Please take one
and pass them on.
Don’t worry about taking notes. I’ve put all the important statistics on a handout for
you.
I’ll be handing out copies of the slides at the end of my talk.
I can email the PowerPoint presentation to anybody who wants it.
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Questions
There will be time for questions after my presentation.
We will have about 10 minutes for questions in the question and answer period.
If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt me at any time.
Feel free to ask questions at any time during my talk.
Effective openings
Rhetorical questions
Is market research important for brand development? Do we really need quality
assurance?
Interesting facts
According to an article I read recently, …
Did you know that … ?
I’d like to share an amazing fact / figure with you.
Summarizing a point
Before I move on, I’d like to recap the main points. Let me briefly summarize the
main issues.
I’d like to summarize what I’ve said so far …
Moving to the next point
This leads directly to my next point. This brings us to the next
question. Let’s now move on / turn to …
After examining this point, let’s turn to … Let’s now take a look at …
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Conclusion
Indicating the end of your talk
I’m now approaching / nearing the end of my presentation.
Well, this brings me to the end of my presentation.
That covers just about everything I wanted to say about … OK, I think that’s everything
I wanted to say about …
As a final point, I’d like to …
Finally, I’d like to highlight one key issue.
Summarizing points
Before I stop, let me go over the key issues again. Just to summarize the main
points of my talk … I’d like to run through my main points again …
To conclude / In conclusion, I’d like to … To sum up (then), we …
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Making recommendations
We’d suggest …
We therefore (strongly) recommend that … In my opinion, we should …
Based on the figures we have, I’m quite certain that …
Inviting questions
Are there any questions?
We just have time for a few questions.
And now I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Effective Conclusions
Quoting a well-known person
As … once said, …
To quote a well-known businessman, … To put it in the words of …
Source: https://www.slidegenius.com/blog/presentation-checklist/
62
PRESENTATION CHECKLIST
Content
Topic
orientation to the topic is provided
appropriate to an academic context
‘pitched’ at an appropriate level for the audience (neither too difficult
nor simplistic)
Organisation of information
Introduction
an appropriate length in proportion to the entire presentation
clear statement of thesis or purpose is given
outline or preview of the content
Body
Main points are well developed, and contain some analysis as well as description
arefully to make your point clearly without too much detail
Original sources
The required number of resources is used
appropriately acknowledged, both verbally and on slides using
appropriate reporting structures (e.g. “Einstein in his Theory of Relativity published in
1906 claimed that time is ….”)
Cohesion
transition
signals (e.g. I’d firstly like to begin by… / Let’s now take a look at… / In summing up…)
deas are logically sequenced
Conclusion
summary of the main points is made and the thesis is restated
support of the main purpose of the talk
Delivery of presentation
Clarity & coherence
coherent and logically presented
63
clearly visible (use an appropriate font, colour and point size), are
not too complicated (may be easily and quickly read) and contain clear headings
Discussion
invitation for questions is offered
confidently. Responses that cannot be
provided may be followed up later.
discussion and feedback (where necessary)
Focus questions have been prepared beforehand (where necessary)
Additional learning resources
64
Positive attitude
Does fashion influence Bangali culture?
Women are the weaker gender
Women are better managers
Ego spoils relationship
Your dream partner
Internet as a device for relationship
Your reading habits
Parents are demanding on their children
Real learning takes place through experience
Love is essential for peace of mind
Next Door Neighbor
Food from Makeshift stall
Outdoor Games
Racism
Talk show cannot change anything, only activism can
Recently watched movie
Facebook Celebrity
Break up
Pocket money
Part time job
TLA (Teaching Learning Activity): The teacher can make 4 groups randomly. Then,
he/she can ask the student make a presentation on their experience so far in the
university. The teacher can write 4 challenges in small pieces of paper to make things
more interesting. For example, challenges may include but not restricted to staring the
presentation with a quote, a roleplay, with a joke, a ‘what if situation’.
65
Final Examination
Telephone Conversation
Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/telephone-conversations-1210222
Of course, all business telephone conversations do not follow this rigid scheme. But this
is the basic outline for most business telephone conversations, especially those made
to request information or ask for clarification.
66
Ms. Anderson (sales representative Jewels and Things): ring ring...ring ring...ring
ring...
Mr. Smith (Secretary): Hello, Diamonds Galore, this is Peter speaking. How may I be
of help to you today?
Ms. Anderson: Yes, this is Ms. Janice Anderson calling. May I speak to Mr. Franks,
please?
Mr. Smith: I'm afraid Mr. Franks is out of the office at the moment. Would you like me to
take a message?
Ms. Anderson: Uhm...actually, this call is rather urgent. We spoke yesterday about a
delivery problem that Mr. Franks mentioned. Did he leave any information with you?
Mr. Smith: As a matter of fact, he did. He said that a representative from your company
might be calling. He also asked me to ask you a few questions...
Ms. Anderson: Great, I'd love to see this problem resolved as quickly as possible.
Mr. Smith: Well, we still haven't received the shipment of earrings that was supposed to
arrive last Tuesday.
Ms. Anderson: Yes, I'm terribly sorry about that. In the meantime, I've spoken with our
delivery department and they assured me that the earrings will be delivered by
tomorrow morning.
Mr. Smith: Excellent, I'm sure Mr. Franks will be pleased to hear that.
Ms. Anderson: Yes, the shipment was delayed from France. We weren't able to send it
along until this morning.
Mr. Smith: I see. Mr. Franks also wanted to schedule a meeting with you later this
week.
Mr. Smith: I'm afraid he's meeting with some clients out of town. How about Thursday
morning?
Mr. Smith: Well, he usually holds a staff meeting at 9. It only lasts a half-hour or so.
How about 10?
Mr. Smith: OK, I'll schedule that. Ms. Anderson at 10, Friday Morning...Is there anything
else I can help you with?
Ms. Anderson: No, I think that's everything. Thank you for your help...Goodbye.
Review your knowledge by filling in the gaps with the words and phrases below to
complete the summary of the conversation.
Ms. Anderson telephones Diamonds Galore to _____ with Mr. Franks. Mr. Franks is not
in the office, but Henry Smith, the secretary, speaks to Ms. Anderson about a _____
problem with some earrings. The earrings have not yet _____ at Diamonds Galore. Ms.
Anderson tells Peter that there was a problem with the _____ from France, but that the
earrings should arrive tomorrow morning.
Next, they _____ a meeting between Ms. Anderson and Mr. Franks. Mr. Franks is not
able to _____ with Ms. Anderson on Thursday because he is _____. They finally decide
on Friday morning at 10 o'clock after a _____ that Mr. Owen usually holds on Friday
mornings.
● pleased: happy
● delayed: not be able to do something on time
● looks like: seems
● staff meeting: a meeting of employees
● lasts: to take time
● schedule: make a future appointment
Use these cues, roles, and scenarios to create practice role-plays on your own to further
your telephoning skills to help with workplace communication.
Role-Play Cue 1
Joy
You'd like to speak to Arif at Wonderland Toys, a toy-making company. You're returning
his product instead of selling because you're not interested in the company's products.
Koly
You're the receptionist at Wonderland Toys. Try to transfer the call to Arif, but Arif does
not want to talk to John. Negotiate and convince Joy to sell the products.
Role-Play Cue 2
Ishita
You're calling to schedule a meeting with the head of the personnel department. You'd
like to meet on Tuesday morning, but can come in on Thursday and Friday as well.
Billal
You're able to schedule a meeting at the end of next week, but you will be out of the
office until Thursday morning.
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Role Play
Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/english-for-medical-a-physical-examination-1211327
https://www.eslprintables.com/speaking_worksheets/role_plays/Role_plays_for_intermediat
e_st_520310/
Doctor-Patient Conversation:
Doctor: Have you had any other exams recently? Blood work, an EKG or an ultra-
sound?
Patient: Well, I had a few X-rays at the dentist.
Doctor: Could you roll up your left sleeve? I'd like to take your blood pressure.
Patient: Certainly.
Doctor: 120 over 80. That's fine. You don't seem to be overweight, that's good. Do you
exercise regularly?
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Patient: No, not really. If I run up a flight of stairs, it takes me a while to get my breath
back. I need to get out more.
Doctor: Don't worry it's just my stethoscope. Now, breathe in and hold your breath.
Please pull up your shirt, and breathe deeply... Everything sounds good. Let's take a
look at your throat. Please open wide and say 'ah'.
Patient: 'ah'
Doctor: OK. Everything looks ship shape. I'm going to order some blood work and
that's about it. Take this slip to the front desk and they'll arrange an appointment for the
tests.
Patient: Thank you, doctor. Have a nice day.
Key Vocabulary
TLA (Teaching Learning Activity): The teacher can ask students to play any role from
the pop culture in small groups initially and then send the best roleplayers in front of the
class to present. The teacher can then ask the class to give their peer feedback on the
performance. They can, for example, focus their feedback on the following: fluency,
lexical resource, grammatical range, grammatical accuracy and pronunciation.
Compare-Contrast
Source: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&channel=crow&biw=1366&bih=626&ei=HXQkXazqJOKEmgfbp4bQDw&q=wordli
st+for+compare+contrast+essay&oq=wordlist+for+compare+contrast+essay&gs_
l=psy-ab.3..33i160.3049.20697..21086...17.0..0.246.4398.8j30j1......0....1..gws-
wiz.....0..0i71j0i67j0j0i131j0i10j0i22i30j0i22i10i30j33i21.Yk722lDWvV8
Transition Words for Compare & Contrast
This list illustrates "relationships" between ideas, followed by words and phrases that
can connect them.
Comparison/Similarities Transitions:
also, again, as well as, besides, coupled with, furthermore, in addition, likewise,
moreover, similarly, comparatively, correspondingly, identically, similar, moreover,
together with, by the same token
Contrast/Difference Transitions:
contrast, conversely, instead, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather,
yet, but, however, nevertheless, in contrast
Summarizing Transitions:
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after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, by and large, in any case, in any event,
in brief, in conclusion, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis, in the
long run, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally, in essence, in other words, in
short
Example Transitions:
for example, for instance, for one thing, as an illustration, illustrated with, as an
example, in this case, chiefly, especially, for instance, in particular, markedly, namely,
particularly, including, specifically, such as
Compare-Contrast between two dogs:
1.
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2.
3.
Interview
Source: https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/ten-interviewing-rules
10 interviewing rules
Stay focused on these 10 basic tenets to prepare for your next interview and to
drive off any potential jitters.
In the current job market, you'd better have your act together, or you won't stand a
chance against the competition. Be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way
to predict what an interview holds, but by following these important rules you will feel
less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself. Check yourself on these 10
basic points before you go on that all-important interview.
1. Do your research
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Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as possible about
its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in
understanding and addressing the company's needs. The more you know about the
company and what it stands for, the better chance you have of selling yourself in the
interview. You also should find out about the company's culture to gain insight into your
potential happiness on the job.
2. Look sharp
Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get out
your best interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the
company has a casual environment, you don't want to look like you slept in your outfit.
Above all, dress for confidence. If you feel good, others will respond to you accordingly.
3. Be prepared
Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references
and paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of
the interview. For extra assurance, print a copy of Monster's handy interview take-along
checklist.
4. Be on time
Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity, allowing
for factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the interview.
5. Show enthusiasm
A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak distinctly in
a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky.
6. Listen
One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only
listening, but also reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as
important as what is said.
7. Answer the question asked
Candidates often don't think about whether they are actually answering the questions
their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked, and get further
clarification if you are unsure.
8. Give specific examples
One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories. Prepare your
stories before the interview. Give examples that highlight your successes and
uniqueness. Your past behavior can indicate your future performance.
9. Ask questions
Many interviewees don't ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable
information. The questions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job.
10. Follow up
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Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more chance to
remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don't
miss this last chance to market yourself.
❖ Follow the checklists to practice peer interview
▌Interview Template –
Candidate Name:
Applicant for position of:
Date of interview:
Aspirations
▌ Can you describe the most enjoyable role that you have ever had and why you feel that
way about it?
▌ Could you please describe an ideal role for yourself?
▌ What are your short and long term career plans?
Handling Conflict
▌ What has been the most difficult situation you have had to deal with at work?
▌ How do you think you handled the situation and, given the opportunity, would you do
anything differently?
Decision Making
▌ Tell me of a difficult decision you have had to make quickly in recent times.
▌ In hindsight, was it the right decision?
▌ What is your decision-making process?
Leadership
▌ If you had the time, money and authority to change something in your current/previous
place of employment, what would you change and why?
▌ What have you done about this already?
Goal Orientation
▌ What do you think is your greatest achievement in life? (secure a response from
business and from life outside work)
Accountability / Results
▌ Can you give examples of times when you were assigned a number of tasks and had to
prioritise what needed to be done?
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▌ What was the biggest single contribution you have made to your organisation’s success
in the last 12 months?
Team Management
▌ What style of management do you feel that you work best with?
▌ What type of person do you find the most challenging to work with?
Role Awareness
▌ Why did you apply for this role?
▌ What is it about <this career> you particularly enjoy?
Qualities
▌ Can you describe your strengths to me (character and professional)
Skills
▌ What accounting software have you worked with in the past?
▌ How would you rate your skills and knowledge in the use of this software?
TL(Teaching Learning Activity): The teacher can write ‘interviewees’ and ‘interviewers’ in
small pieces of paper. There can be 4 interviewees and rest can be interviewers. The teacher
can set up mock interviews for each of the interviewees in front of the class. Based on the
performance of the interviews, the boards can provide feedback(preferably in sandwich model)
to the interviewee.
79
Book/Film Review
Sources:
● https://www.writemypapers.org/examples-and-samples/spiritual-path-to-higher-creativity-
book-review-sample.html
● https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/book-reviews/
● http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/englishresource/filmreview.html
Book Review
Book review includes:
● First, a review gives the reader a concise summary of the content. This
includes a relevant description of the topic as well as its overall perspective,
argument, or purpose.
● Second, and more importantly, a review offers a critical assessment of the
content. This involves your reactions to the work under review: what strikes you
as noteworthy, whether or not it was effective or persuasive, and how it
enhanced your understanding of the issues at hand.
● Finally, in addition to analyzing the work, a review often suggests whether
or not the audience would appreciate it.
The title “Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” fully conveys the content of the book.
The author set a goal to help the person to overcome a creative impasse. That is why
this book is intended for those who passionately want to create something but
experience temporary or permanent difficulties with this.
80
One of the most striking features of the book is the uncompromising approach of its
author. She constantly rejects all halftones and any attempts to evade from
responsibility. Everything becomes very clear and straightforward: there is a way to
creativity and if someone refuses to choose it, he betrays creativity and himself. This
position requires taking a very big responsibility and only few people can bear it.
The book is penetrated with a specific spiritual approach to the defined problems. But
the contemporary people who lead modern life often do not want to hear about
spirituality and faith, since they give their preference to pragmatic approach, economic
calculations, explanations and persuasion.
“Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” depicts a huge energy charge. Julia Cameron
managed to express her outlook on the pages of the book very clearly and powerfully.
While reading you will notice that the path of a true artist requires significant changes in
life. Even if these changes are stretched in time, sweetened with promises of success or
with descriptions of positive examples, they still can be enormous and irreversible. It is
impossible not to change oneself after reading this great book!
Film Review
1. To inform. The review needs to tell people who is in the film, who it is by and
where or when readers can see it.
2. To describe. The review should describe the story, characters and some of the
action - without spoiling the plot or giving too much away!
3. To analyse.
Review:
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Christopher Nolan brings yet another adrenaline-filled, comic-inspired movie to the big
screen. We see all sorts of familiar faces this time around, but the audience is
introduced to a few new characters as well.
When crisis threatens Gotham City, Bruce Wayne jumps back into the Batmobile to fight
crime. Batman is joined on his quest by an eager orphaned cop (Joseph Gordon-Levitt),
a seductive cat burglar (Anne Hathaway), and a violent masked villain (Tom Hardy).
This film served as great entertainment with its colorful cast and numerous plot twists.
Nolan used actors that had either appeared in previous Batman films or in his
blockbuster hit Inception, and all of them shone in their respective roles: Tom Hardy
was almost unrecognizable in his Bane costume, while Joseph Gordon-Levitt and
Marion Cotillard were both excellent—and obviously comfortable with Nolan’s directing
style and the film’s dramatic tone.
The one actor that gave this reviewer pause was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle. She
has historically been typecast as the girl next door, so it was a shock to watch her steal
and fight her way through the City of Gotham. After a few scenes, however, we were
convinced that the casting decisions was a good one, as Hathaway portrayed the darker
Catwoman role brilliantly.
True to Nolan’s style, at 164 minutes, this film is fairly long. There were a few times
when the movie felt a bit drawn out, but the gorgeous action scenes and impressive
dialogue really held the audience’s attention and kept them on the edge of their seats.
However, the timeline was a bit unclear at times. For a number of scenes, it was hard to
tell whether it had been days or months or years that had passed since the last time a
given character had been on screen.
Despite the films minor shortcomings, The Dark Knight Rises is exciting, creative, and
dark—and well worth a few hours of your time.
USEFUL PHRASES:
How to Debate
Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Debate#Formal_Team_Debate
https://www.sfu.ca/cmns/130d1/HOWTODEBATE.htm
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Style
Style is the manner in which you communicate your arguments. This is the most basic
part of debating to master. Content and strategy are worth little unless you deliver your
material in a confident and persuasive way.
Speed
It is vital to talk at a pace which is fast enough to sound intelligent and allow you time to
say what you want, but slow enough to be easily understood.
Tone
Varying tone is what makes you sound interesting. Listening to one tone for an entire
presentation is boring.
Volume
Clarity
The ability to concisely and clearly express complex issues is what debating is all
about. The main reason people begin to sound unclear is usually because they lose the
“stream of thought” which is keeping them going. It is also important to keep it simple.
While long words may make you sound clever, they may also make you
incomprehensible.
Notes are essential, but they must be brief and well organized to be effective. There is
absolutely no point in trying to speak without notes. Of course, notes should never
become obtrusive and damage your contact with the audience, nor should they ever be
read from verbatim. Most people sketch out the main headings of their speech, with
brief notes under each.
87
When writing notes for rebuttal during the debate, it is usually better to use a separate
sheet of paper so you can take down the details of what the other speakers have said
and then transfer a rough outline onto the notes you will actually be using.
Eye contact with the audience is very important, but keep shifting your gaze. No one
likes to be stared at.
Methods:
There are many types of debates, ranging from British Parliamentary to Policy Debates
to regular old backyard sparring sessions. Whether you're in a team or going at it solo,
this article will go over some general facts about debating, as well as offer you tips on
how to improve your technique.
Be ready to receive a topic to get to go debate on. One team must debate the
"affirmative" stance, and the other must debate the "negative" stance. The team
that agrees with the topic is called the affirmative, while the team that disagrees
is called the negative.
o Both teams will be seated near the front of the room they are to speak in
— affirmative team on the left, negative team on the right.
o The chairperson will start the debate, and the first speaker will present
their speech. The order of the speakers is generally affirmative, negative,
affirmative, negative, and so on.
88
Define the topic, if necessary. Debating "That the death penalty is a just and
effective punishment" is probably already pretty clear, but what if you're given a
topic like "That happiness is a nobler trait than wisdom?" You might need to offer
a definition before you proceed.
o The affirmative always gets the first and best opportunity to define the
topic. The first affirmative should offer the "person on the street"[1] test:
▪ How might an average person on the street define the topic? Is it
reasonable to expect a "normal" person to think of the topic in a
certain way?
o The negative team is given an opportunity to refute the definition and offer
their own, but only if the affirmative's definition is unreasonable or it
renders the negative's position obsolete. The first negative speaker must
refute the affirmative's definition if s/he wishes to challenge it.
o Support your opinions/contentions. If you say "I think the death penalty
should be abolished," be ready to prove why this is the best course of
action.
o If you don't know it, don't debate it unless you have no other choice. If you
don't know much about the topic, try and at least come up with some
vague, ambiguous information so that your opponents will have a hard
time refuting your contentions. If they don't understand it, they can't refute
it. Keep in mind that the judge probably won't understand you so well
89
either, but trying is probably better than saying, "I know nothing. I give the
case to my opponents."
o Don't use rhetorical questions. Always give a clear answer to every
question you ask. Leaving a question open-ended gives your opponents
room to refute.
Present your argument. When it is your turn, go ahead and present your
argument. Be passionate in your speech—a monotone voice will cause people to
drift off, and they may miss the point of what you're trying to say. Speak clearly,
slowly, and loudly.
o Make eye contact with whomever decides the winners of the debate.
While it's okay to look at your opponents every once in a while, try to direct
your argument at the judge.
o Give a layout of your argument before you make it. That way, your
audience will know what to expect and your judge won't cut you off unless
you run way overtime.
Strike a balance between presenting your team's point(s) and rebutting the
opponents’ point. Since teams take turns debating, it's always possible to offer
rebuttals unless you are the first affirmative speaker. Here is a rundown of how
both teams might organize their debate strategy:
o 1st affirmative:
90
▪ Define the topic (optional) and present the team's main line.
▪ Outline, in brief, what each affirmative speaker will talk about.
▪ Present the first half of the affirmative's argument.
o 1st negative:
▪ Accept or reject the definition (optional) and present the team's
main line.
▪ Outline, in brief, what each negative speaker will talk about.
▪ Offer a rebuttal of a few of the points presented by the first
affirmative.
▪ Present the first half of the negative's argument.
o 2nd affirmative:
▪ Reaffirm the affirmative's main line.
▪ Offer a rebuttal of a few of the points presented by the first
negative.
▪ Present the second half of the affirmative's argument.
o 2nd negative:
▪ Reaffirm the negative's main line.
▪ Offer a rebuttal of a few of the points presented by the second
affirmative.
▪ Present the second half of the negative's argument.
o 3rd affirmative:
▪ Reaffirm the affirmative's main line.
▪ Offer a rebuttal of any of the remaining negative's arguments.
▪ Offer a summary of the affirmative's case.
▪ Conclude debate for the affirmative team.
o 3rd negative:
▪ Reaffirm the negative's main line.
▪ Offer a rebuttal of any of the remaining affirmative's arguments.
▪ Offer a summary of the negative's case.
▪ Conclude debate for the negative team.
Note the three rules of rebuttal. When rebutting a team's argument, remember
three essential rules:
91
o Offer evidence for your rebuttal. Do not rely on vigorous assertion alone.
Show the chairperson why the other team's argument is fundamentally
flawed; don't just tell.
o Attack the most important parts of their argument. It's not very effective if
you pick bones with an obscure part of the opponent's argument. Go for
the crux of their argument and pick it apart with the ruthless efficiency of a
surgeon.
o No ad hominem attacks. An ad hominem attack is when you criticize
another person instead of his or her ideas. Attack the idea, not the person.
Use up all your time (or most of it). The more you talk, the more you'll
convince the judge. Note that this means you should come up with many
examples, not that you should ramble. The more the judge hears about why you
are correct, the more inclined s/he will be to believe you.
Know what aspects of the debate you will be judged on, if appropriate. For
the most part, debates are judged on three main areas: matter, manner, and
method.[1]
o Matter:
▪ Amount of evidence. How much evidence does the speaker
marshall to support his/her claims?
▪ Relevancy of evidence. How strongly does the evidence used
support the argument?
o Manner:
▪ Eye contact. How well does the speaker engage his or her
audience? Does the speaker spend too much time on his or her
cue cards?
92
▪ Voice. How well does the speaker's voice accentuate his or her
argument? Does he or she offer a diversity of volume, pitch and
speed to highlight important parts?
▪ Body language. How well does the speaker use his or her body to
emphasize arguments and communicate authority and calmness?
▪ Nervous habits. How well does the speaker avoid verbal and bodily
tics when he or she speaks? Does the speaker stammer, fidget, or
pace?
▪ Elocution. How clearly does the speaker pronounce words? Does
the speaker use words, or do the words use him or her?
o Method:
▪ Team cohesion. How well does the entire team organize their
arguments and rebuttals? How well do the individual arguments
mesh together, as well as the rebuttals? How clear and consistent
is the team line?
▪ Individual prowess. How well does the individual stand out as he or
she speaks? How clearly does he or she mark the end of one
argument and the beginning of another?
Clearly understand the other person's position or ask them to clarify any
confusing areas. Nobody's perspective is perfectly coherent. But it's hard to
debate someone when they're all over the place. Try to gently get them to adhere
to one line of arguments that are more or less consistent.
o If you're not sure about what their argument is, help them out in a non-
threatening way: "So, if I understand what you're saying, you mean that
the penny should be abolished because it costs more than a penny to
produce a penny?"
o Offer examples along with your thesis for why you hold a particular belief:
▪ "Here's what I think: I think overabundance of political correctness
has actually made us afraid to say anything at all. Instead of saying
what we actually mean, we say what we think people want to hear.
We're more worried about offending other people than we are about
telling the truth."
get a foot in the door? Wouldn't that be inviting them to pass judgment on
more and more private aspects of our lives? When do our lives stop
becoming their own?"
Respond to any of the other person's rebuttals. More than likely, the other
person you're debating will take issue with some of the things you are saying.
Remember their rebuttals and tackle them when the other person has finished
speaking.
o Not hog the conversation. It's a debate, which should mean a free-flowing
exchange of ideas, not you rambling on and on about why you're right and
s/he's wrong.
o Assume the other person means well. S/he might misspeak or the debate
could get unintentionally heated. It's best to assume that the other person
is coming at the debate expecting only some friendly verbal sparring, and
isn't out to hurt you.
o Don't raise your voice or let things get heated. Try not to get so wrapped
up in the debate that you lose your cool. A debate should be civilized and
enlightening, not a lesson in browbeating.
95
Don't rehash the same arguments over and over again. Some debates come
full circle and then keep on going because neither party is willing to admit defeat.
If you become involved in a debate that never ends, don't push it. Just say: "I
respect your opinion. I don't agree with you, but maybe I will in the future. Give
me a little bit of time to think it over?"
Wrap things up amicably. No one will want to debate you if you're a sore loser
or if you refuse to treat your sparring partner with respect. However heated the
debate might have been, try to be friendly as you wrap things up. You may
disagree with someone, but that doesn't mean you can't be friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHhqWbI0y4M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3vtOUC-uQg
❖ Comparing Good and Bad Presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8eLdbKXGzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjr3w6CbLSM
❖ More Links:
http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/skills/speaking/upper-intermediate-b2-
speaking
http://www.esl-lounge.com/student/listening-advanced.php
https://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories.php
https://americanliterature.com/100-great-short-stories